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were the jugglings of men. Sometimes Princes; ſometimes private men: (as now of Religion, of Preaching, and Praying, and Faſting; of Maſſes and Proceſſions: moſt Princes and States in all places) made good uſe of them to their owne ends; and made them ſpeak what themselves had prompted. But a man might as probably argue; becauſe ſome have been ſo freely acknowledged to have been by compact and ſubornation, it is the more likely, that thoſe of which never any ſuſpicion was, ſhould be true. We read of many in Herodotus: of one, which was contrived by fraud; but there we read alſo, that when it came to be known (though care had been taken that it might not:) the chief Contriver, a great man, was banished, or prevented worſe, by a voluntary Exile; and the Sacred Virgin or Propheteſſe, depoſed. But not to inſiſt upon particulars, which would be long, it is moſt certain, and it will cleerly appear unto them that are well read in ancient Authors and Hiſtories, That all Heathens, generally the wiſeſt and learnedeſt of them, thoſe eſpecially, that lived when Oracles were moſt frequent, did really believe them to be, which they pretended unto: and that they were ſo indeed, for the moſt part (taking it for granted that their Gods were Divils or Evil Spirits) by many circumitances of Stories, and by other good proofs, may be made as evident: neither was it ever doubted or denyed (alwayes granted and preſuppoſed, that, as in all worldly things, much impoſture did intervene and intermingle) by ancient Chriſtians acknowledged, I am ſure, by moſt, if not all. But I have ſpoken of them elsewhere already, and therefore will be the ſhorter here.

Our laſt Objection was: If there be Devils and Spirits, Why do they not appear unto them, who do what they can, as by continual curſes, ſo by profane curioſity to invite them? Firſt, We ſay, ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κείματα αὐτό, καὶ ἀνεξιχνίασοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτε. When we have good ground for the ὅτι, to ſtick at the διότι, becauſe we do not underſtand the reaſon, is as much as to ſay, that we think we ſhould be as wiſe as God. Ariſtotle did not meddle with things that he could give no reaſon of; yet he did not deny them (as we have ſhewed) and it is one thing to require a reaſon of things meerly natural; and another of thoſe that happen by a meer ſecret Providence. But this will give them no great ſatisfaction who perchance believe a God (ſome) as much as they believe a Devil. Secondly, Therefore we ſay, There may be ſome natural reaſon too, upon Ariſtotles grounds. Ariſtotle (as hath been ſhewed elſewhere) compares the effects of Melancholy, from whence he deriveth all kind of Enthuſiaſm, to the known effects of Wine. What is the reaſon, that ſome men with little wine will quickly be drunk, and become other Creatures, being deprived for the time of the uſe of reaſon? Others though they drink never ſo much, will ſooner burſt then reel, or ſpeak idly as fome in their excess grow merry, others ſad: ſome calm and better natured; others furious: ſome talkative, others ſtupid. The Devil knowes what tempers are beſt for his turn; and by ſome in whom he was deceived, he hath got no credit, and wiſhed he had never meddled with them. Some men come into the world with Cabaliſtical Brains; their heads are full of myſteries; they ſee nothing, they read nothing, but their brain is on work to pick ſomewhat out of it that is not ordinary; and out of the very A B C that children are taught, rather then fail, they will fetch all the Secrets of Gods Wiſdom, tellyou